Heating system especially for motor vehicles

Abstract

A heat exchanger (1) acting in the manner of a radiator can be thermally coupled with a first heat source (internal combustion engine 2) and/or with a second heat source (burner 3 which can be operated independently from the internal combustion engine) via a fluidic heat carrier circuit, especially a water circuit. In addition to other parameters, the temperature of the first heat source can also be taken into account in the control of the heat carrier circuit by thermal setting elements (13).

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A heating system for motor vehicles, comprising: a heat exchanger providing a radiating function;   a fluidic heat carrier circuit, said heat exchanger being thermally coupled with said carrier circuit;   an internal combustion engine first heat source;   a second heat source in the form of a burner; and   valve switch over means for connecting the heat carrier medium of the fluidic heat carrier circuit for directing the carrier medium past each of said first heat source and said second heat source, in a first state, and passing said heat carrier medium of said fluidic heat carrier circuit essentially only past said second heat source in a second state, said valve switch over means including a valve arrangement having a thermal setting element which is thermally coupled to said heat carrier medium disposed adjacent to said first heat source for setting said first state of said valve arrangement or for switching over from said first state to said second state upon reaching a threshold value temperature of the heat carrier medium.   
     
     
       2. A heating system according to claim 1, wherein said thermal setting element switches over said valve arrangement into said first state or maintains said valve arrangement in said first state above said temperature threshold value of said heat carrier medium. 
     
     
       3. A heating system according to claim 1, wherein said thermal setting element is a bimetal element. 
     
     
       4. A heating system according to claim 1, wherein said thermal setting element comprises a material with shape memory. 
     
     
       5. A heating system according to claim 1, further comprising a first pump feed means connected to said fluidic heat carrier circuit for feeding heat carrier medium arriving at said first heat exchanger via said first heat source to an inlet of said valve arrangement, said valve arrangement having an outlet; a second pump feed means, said outlet being connected to an intake side of said second pump feed means, said second pump feed means having a pressure side connected to said second heat source, said intake side being connected to said outlet of said valve arrangement via a non-return valve, said non-return valve permitting essentially only flow to said second pump feed means, said inlet of said second pump feed means being connected in parallel with said outlet of said valve arrangement, to a heat carrier line, said heat carrier line forming part of said heat carrier circuit, said heat carrier line leading from an outlet side of said heat exchanger.   
     
     
       6. A heating system according to claim 5, wherein said valve arrangement includes a shut-off valve with a piston closing body and a piston working chamber, said closing body displaceably dividing said piston working chamber to form a shut-off valve inlet connection at one end and another axial end communicating with a pressure connection at a pressure side of said second feed pump means, said piston working chamber having an outlet with said closing body essentially closing and covering said outlet in a position pushed to an axial end of said piston working chamber and not restricting said outlet in an end position, pushed to an opposite axially end of said piston working chamber. 
     
     
       7. A heating system according to claim 5, wherein said thermal setting element comprises a helical compression spring arranged at an inlet of a shut-off valve of said valve arrangement, said helical compression spring assuming a shape for maintaining a closing body of said valve arrangement in a released position, in which said closing body does not restrict said outlet, or forcing said closing body into said released position with a strong force. 
     
     
       8. A heating system according to claim 5, wherein said closing body of said shut-off valve is formed as a differential piston, said piston having an active surface, to which fluidic pressure is admitted in the closed position in the opening direction of the closing body, is smaller than the active surface to which the fluidic pressure is admitted in the direction of the closed position. 
     
     
       9. A heating system according to claim 1, wherein said valve arrangement includes a shut-off valve including means for maintaining a throttled connection between said first heat source and said second heat source even in said second state, said throttled flow path leading immediately past said thermal setting element. 
     
     
       10. A heating system according to claim 4, wherein said material with shape memory is a shape memory alloy. 
     
     
       11. A heating system for motor vehicles, comprising: a heat exchanger providing a radiating function;   a fluidic heat carrier circuit, said heat exchanger being thermally coupled with said carrier circuit;   an internal combustion engine first heat source;   a second heat source in the form of a burner; and   valve switch over means for connecting the heat carrier medium of the fluidic heat carrier circuit for directing the carrier medium past each of said first heat source and said second heat source, in a first state, and passing said heat carrier medium of said fluidic heat carrier circuit essentially only past said second heat source in a second state, said valve switch over means including a valve arrangement with a material with shape memory forming a thermal setting element which is thermally coupled to said heat carrier medium disposed adjacent to said first heat source for setting said first state of said valve arrangement or for switching over from said first state to said second state upon reaching a threshold value temperature of the heat carrier medium.   
     
     
       12. A heating system according to claim 11, wherein said material with shape memory is a bimetal element. 
     
     
       13. A heating system according to claim 11, wherein said material with shape memory is a shape memory alloy (SMA). 
     
     
       14. A heating system for motor vehicles, comprising: a heat exchanger providing a radiating function;   a fluidic heat carrier circuit, said heat exchanger being thermally coupled with said carrier circuit;   an internal combustion engine first heat source;   a second heat source in the form of a burner;   valve switch over means for connecting the heat carrier medium of the fluidic heat carrier circuit for directing the carrier medium past each of said first heat source and said second heat source, in a first state, and passing said heat carrier medium of said fluidic heat carrier circuit essentially only past said second heat source in a second state, said valve switch over means including a valve arrangement with a thermal setting element which is thermally coupled to said heat carrier medium disposed adjacent to said first heat source for setting said first state of said valve arrangement or for switching over from said first state to said second state upon reaching a threshold value temperature of the heat carrier medium;   a first pump feed means connected to said fluidic heat carrier circuit for feeding heat carrier medium arriving at said first heat exchanger via said first heat source to an inlet of said valve arrangement, said valve arrangement having an outlet; and   a second pump feed means, said outlet being connected to an intake side of said second pump feed means, said second pump feed means having a pressure side connected to said second heat source, said intake side being connected to said outlet of said valve arrangement via a non-return valve, said non-return valve permitting essentially only flow to said second pump feed means, said inlet of said second pump feed means being connected in parallel with said outlet of said valve arrangement, to a heat carrier line, said heat carrier line forming part of said heat carrier circuit, said heat carrier line leading from an outlet side of said heat exchanger.